Tess, of course, didn't hesitate in searching for Kyle. She'd have to act quickly, or Jade would think to send someone there to intercept her. She followed his dot on the map, lungs scorching as she sprinted.

Inside the skyscraper Kyle was stationed at, she hauled herself up dozens of stories, pushing her cardio to the limit. The world was a blur, the numbered floors streaking past her.

When she burst from the stairwell, Shaun was immediately in her face.

"Tess." He reached out and grabbed her arm. "I don't know what you've done, but Jade says you need to be detained. You'll have to come with me."

She wrenched away, but his grip only tightened, fingers digging into her flesh. "Let go, Shaun!" she screamed in his face, huffing with surging rage. He didn't react.

She changed her tactic, staring him dead in the eyes. "You don't belong to the Species. You're an independent being, not Jade's slave or worker drone. You don't have to follow their orders."

He looked confused, his eyebrows drawn together.

"Think for yourself, Shaun. Please."

He shut his eyes, blinked rapidly, then looked at her again. For a short moment, she swore she could see a mask lifted and clarity reach his eyes. But then his face hardened, and he began to drag her.

Tears sprang from her eyes, shocked that her friend would treat her this way. "I don't want to have to hurt you," she whispered.

He just laughed. "Do I need to remind you about human dimorphism? I'm bigger and stronger than you. There's nothing you can do—"

Tess planted both feet on solid ground, coiled to strike. She swung her free arm back, throwing her entire weight into the motion, and landed a solid punch at his throat.

Gasping and choking, Shaun released her arm to clutch at his neck, eyes bulging.

She was about to take off running again when she spotted Kyle running up behind Shaun.

"I was about to step in, but you beat me to it," he said with a proud smile.

"We need to get out of here," she said quickly, grabbing his sleeve and guiding him toward the exit.

He registered her panic, his face shifting. "What happened?"

"I think things may have changed. Irreversibly."

He stared at her, perplexed, as they rapidly descended the stairs.

"I, uh...got a bit angry," she explained between breaths, "and I think Jade took it as a betrayal against her. Or maybe against the entire Species."

"What did you do?" There was cautious amusement in his voice.

"I stole her communicator. I found out she's been watching us closely, everything we do. Listening in on our conversations. I'm not okay with it."

He digested this information. "I don't know who would be."

It was quiet for a bit, just the sound of clanking footsteps down metal stairs.

"So, what, are we going rogue?" Kyle asked. She could tell it was a serious question wrapped in a joking tone.

"I guess so," she replied, finding herself smiling.

"Oh," Tess added, tugging his jacket again to stop him. She fished his communicator from his pocket, then found her own, and smashed them to pieces underfoot. "So they can't track us."

"What if they put trackers inside us, too, like the city?"

She paused. "We'll just have to hope not, and get out of here as fast as possible."

"Get out of where," he questioned, his voice low, "the city? Just trying to understand the plan here." His tone was calculating. She could practically feel his mind mapping out their path, formulating potential outcomes, and preparing for the worst.

When they plunged outside, the rising sun glared into her eyes. As they adjusted, she spotted soldiers walking to their right and a group of the newly recruited kids gathered on their left. Then Jessie burst from the skyscraper doors behind them.

She knew in an instant that this would be one of those times there was no thinking, only acting. And if they both made it out unscathed, it would be a miracle.

Jessie lurched to grab Tess with a roar of anger, making his allegiance clear. He caught her wrist, but she ducked and twisted her arm, slipping from his grip.

He and Kyle sized each other up like boxers, then started exchanging blows, fists flying. They seemed frighteningly evenly matched. Kyle was taller and leaner, while Jessie was shorter but broader with more padding. Kyle also moved with more grace and precision, but Jessie was slower and slightly more powerful.

Tess wanted to split them up, to yell that they were friends. But her attention was diverted as the kids spotted her and came running. They surrounded her, clutching at her limbs and clothing. She thrashed against them, reluctant to hurt them but not allowing them to take her down.

That's when the soldiers reached them with a barrage of deep-voiced shouts. The kids looked frightened but didn't want to disobey orders.

"They're going to lock you up again," Tess hissed at them. "Just like before. Run!"

A few of them let go of her and took off. The soldiers ran after and tackled them. They tore the other kids off Tess and restrained them on the ground.

For a moment, Tess stood alone, everyone else engaged in fights and struggles. She did the math. There were more of their kind than soldiers. If they were occupied with the kids, she might have a chance to escape before backup arrived.

She glanced at Kyle, the sound of his fight reaching her ears. They were still exchanging heavy punches, both with blood streaming down their faces.

As she was distracted, a soldier ran up and bear hugged her, keeping her arms trapped at her sides. She kicked furiously at his legs and threw her weight around, trying to knock him off balance.

He stayed steady and said, "This one's resourceful. Hit her with the sedative."

Another soldier came up and grabbed her chin, trying to force her to look at him. She spat at him, but he was eerily unfazed, wearing a cruel smile. "I recognize her from the report. You're right, she is resourceful. She's escaped and evaded capture many times." He sneered. "But not today."

He pulled out a vial and a syringe, then drew clear liquid through the needle.

Meanwhile, Tess slid one hand against the soldier restraining her. She edged a razor-sharp fingernail under his jacket and nicked his skin. In a second, his arms loosened around her and he collapsed.

She stood alone before the soldier with the needle. "Hold on now," he said, taking a step back, staring at his fallen friend, "how did you—"

She lept at him and scratched his face—four deep, fatal claw marks across his cheek. There was bile crawling up her throat as she did it, but she didn't have much choice.

She turned to find Jessie unconscious on the ground and Kyle stumbling, wiping his bleeding nose with his sleeve. This surfaced a terrible memory of him at his sickest, body falling apart. But now she knew he would heal, and her heart felt lighter.

A backup squadron appeared in the distance, a vehicle flooding the dawn with light. The pair slipped behind the building and into a band of trees. A hopeful uncertainty washed over Tess as she took Kyle's hand, careful of the bruised knuckles, and gently squeezed.